OrderToWatch

Cars watch order

Cars movies in order, release and chronological. Updated October 20, 2026.

Watch Cars in release order: Cars (2006), Cars 2 (2011) and Cars 3 (2017), with the Mater's Tall Tales shorts between the first two and Cars on the Road (2022) after Cars 3. Planes (2013) and Planes: Fire & Rescue (2014) are spin-offs set in the same world.

How to watch the Cars movies in order: the full guide

All 10 films and series in the Cars franchise, in release order and in chronological (story) order. The first in release order is Cars (2006); the first in chronological order is Cars (set in Radiator Springs).

Release order

  1. Cars (Movie, 2006): Lightning McQueen in Radiator Springs.
  2. Mater and the Ghostlight (Movie, 2006): A short from the Cars DVD: the town turns Mater's pranks back on him with a fake ghost light.
  3. Cars Toons: Mater's Tall Tales (Series, 2008): Eleven shorts where Mater tells Lightning wild stories about his past, and insists Lightning was there.
  4. Cars 2 (Movie, 2011): A spy caper with Mater.
  5. Tales from Radiator Springs (Series, 2013): Four comic shorts about everyday life in Radiator Springs.
  6. Planes (Movie, 2013): A spin-off set in the Cars world: a crop duster afraid of heights enters a round-the-world race.
  7. Planes: Fire & Rescue (Movie, 2014): Dusty Crophopper retrains as a firefighting plane at Piston Peak National Park.
  8. Cars 3 (Movie, 2017): McQueen faces the next generation.
  9. Miss Fritter's Racing Skoool (Movie, 2017): A short infomercial for Miss Fritter's demolition derby school, from the Cars 3 home release.
  10. Cars on the Road (Series, 2022): Lightning and Mater drive cross-country to Mater's sister's wedding on Disney+.

Chronological order

  1. Cars (set in Radiator Springs): Lightning McQueen in Radiator Springs.
  2. Mater and the Ghostlight (set in A short: Mater gets spooked): A short from the Cars DVD: the town turns Mater's pranks back on him with a fake ghost light.
  3. Cars Toons: Mater's Tall Tales (set in Mater's stories): Eleven shorts where Mater tells Lightning wild stories about his past, and insists Lightning was there.
  4. Cars 2 (set in The World Grand Prix): A spy caper with Mater.
  5. Tales from Radiator Springs (set in Life in town): Four comic shorts about everyday life in Radiator Springs.
  6. Cars 3 (set in Lightning's last season): McQueen faces the next generation.
  7. Miss Fritter's Racing Skoool (set in A short after Cars 3): A short infomercial for Miss Fritter's demolition derby school, from the Cars 3 home release.
  8. Cars on the Road (set in Lightning and Mater's road trip): Lightning and Mater drive cross-country to Mater's sister's wedding on Disney+.
  9. Planes (set in Propwash Junction): A spin-off set in the Cars world: a crop duster afraid of heights enters a round-the-world race.
  10. Planes: Fire & Rescue (set in Piston Peak): Dusty Crophopper retrains as a firefighting plane at Piston Peak National Park.

Common questions

What order should I watch the Cars movies in?

Watch Cars in release order: Cars (2006), Cars 2 (2011) and Cars 3 (2017), with the Mater's Tall Tales shorts between the first two and Cars on the Road (2022) after Cars 3. Planes (2013) and Planes: Fire & Rescue (2014) are spin-offs set in the same world.

How many Cars movies and shows are there?

There are 10 titles in the Cars franchise: 7 films and 3 series, released from 2006 to 2022.

How long does it take to watch all the Cars movies?

About 18 hours for all 10 titles, counting every episode. The essentials only (4 titles) take about 7 hours.

What is the first Cars title in chronological order?

Cars, set in Radiator Springs. In release order the first is Cars (2006).

Which Cars titles can I skip?

Mater and the Ghostlight, Cars Toons: Mater's Tall Tales, Tales from Radiator Springs, Miss Fritter's Racing Skoool, Planes, and Planes: Fire & Rescue. They are spin-offs, side stories or non-canon entries; the main story holds without them.